A masked burglar has attacked a string of women in a terrifying attack in Sydney’s west, with police warning he could strike again.
The man was captured on camera robbing a number of properties in Northmead, north of Parramatta, at around 4am on Wednesday.
An hour later, the same man hijacked a Mitsubishi Outlander SUV while the owner was filling up with fuel at a petrol station on Windsor Road near North Rocks.
He then used the car to attack three women, police said.
According to officers, the man is said to have attacked a 47-year-old woman from behind on nearby Mons Road at around 5:20 a.m.
She tripped as she tried to flee, after which the attacker took her handbag.
A 19-year-old woman called police at 5:40am after someone – believed to be the same man – pulled a knife on her in Toongabbie.
According to police, he also stole her purse and drove away in the stolen SUV.
A masked burglar has attacked a series of women in a terrifying spree in Sydney’s west – and police have warned he could strike again
The man was captured on camera robbing a number of properties in Northmead, north of Parramatta, at around 4am on Wednesday.
At around 5.55am, a 27-year-old woman was attacked with a hammer in North Parramatta.
“The woman gave her purse and cell phone to the man … and he left the scene of the crime in the SUV,” police said.
The woman’s male friends tracked her phone and found the man in a nearby house. He attacked one of the men with the hammer and escaped.
Riot police and sniffer dogs are now searching for the villain.
“I think this is particularly cowardly, that it targets women who are walking alone and behind them early in the morning,” said Chief Inspector Barry Vincent.
Police officers and sniffer dogs are now searching for the villain
‘Although we were unable to track down this perpetrator this morning, we are concerned that the crime continues.’
The chaos that ensued during the police search led to Christ the King Primary School in North Rocks being briefly closed while officers searched the area for the perpetrator.
There are now concerns that the man is responsible for a series of burglaries in the area two days earlier, raising fears that he could strike again.
The man is described as having an average build and is in his 20s. He was last seen wearing black, including a beanie, balaclava, gloves and a Nike hoodie.
Police say people should not approach him themselves, but should call police if they see him.